Today marks the Jewish New Year for many UA students, faculty and staff, but some Jewish students will not be attending Rosh Hashana services this morning due to class commitments.
"This is the first time that I haven't gone to services," said Samantha Kantor, a junior majoring in English.
Kantor is missing Rosh Hashana services this morning because she said she does not want to miss her science professor's review for an exam Tuesday.
Rosh Hashana officially began last night at sundown and the Hillel Foundation held services for several UA students. Hillel will also hold services this morning, but students like Kantor might not attend if they feel obliged to be in class.
The UA policy for Accommodation of Religious Observance and Practice, approved by Arizona Board of Regents,
prohibits discrimination against students, faculty, staff or any other individuals because of their religious beliefs.
Last Tuesday, Kantor said she told her science professor she would need to be excused Thursday to attend Rosh Hashana services and asked if he could go over the review for the exam at a later time.
"He said that he is very busy and doesn't know if he'll have the time to meet with me to go over the review," Kantor said. "And I took that as, 'I'm too busy for you.'"
Kantor did not tell her science professor until Tuesday that she would need to be excused because he had been out of town for the past two weeks.
Her professor told her that there might be another exam review Monday, but Kantor said she needs more than one day to study.
Kantor said she will also have difficulty observing Rosh Hashana for the rest of the day because she will be attending a math class in which she says her professor has a reputation for not allowing students to make up work even when they have legitimate reasons.
"I haven't talked to her about it because I don't want to get on her bad side," Kantor said.
Some professors plan their class schedules around Jewish holidays.
"Certainly, I wouldn't schedule a test or any critical event for a grade on that day knowing that some students would have a conflict," said Richard Green, adjunct astronomy professor who led the Conservative Rosh Hashana services last night.
Green, the director of the Kitt Peak National Observatory, has led Conservative services for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur at Hillel since 1980.
"Jewish students are still a minority, but they definitely shouldn't receive any unusual degree of penalty because they will take the option of staying away from class on that day," he said.
Green also said it would be "more thoughtful" of professors not to assign tests on days that Jewish students might have to miss in order to observe religious holidays.
"Students should be able to get lecture notes from a friend who went to those classes, but the test business is pretty awkward," he said.
The UA anti-discrimination policy covers religious holidays for which some students or faculty members might need to miss classes.
"Administrators and faculty members are expected to reasonably accommodate individual religious practices," according to the policy. "It is the responsibility of the president of each university, and the executive director of the board as to the central staff, to take such actions as are necessary to ensure that the intent of this policy is implemented."
Although some students have circumstances similar to Kantor's, other students face no opposition from their professors when they need to be excused from classes for religious purposes.
Kayla Golan, a wildlife, watershed and rangeland resources senior, attended Conservative Rosh Hashana services at Hillel last night. Although she got permission from her professors to miss classes today, she decided to go to class rather than services.
In the past, Golan said she has never had a problem with her professors allowing her to miss classes or turn in assignments later.
"I think it's appropriate to cancel classes for Judaic Studies, but it's not necessary for others to be cancelled," she said.
Golan said she did not grow up very religiously, but likes the Jewish religion.
"It's a great religion as far as tradition and cultures go," she said. "I'm going to synagogue to please my parents."
Green said he is pleased with the level of interest and participation of Jewish students who go to the Hillel services on campus.
"I have the impression that everyone wrestles with that choice and makes it in a different way and Hillel's really open who comes to participate for however much time they have," Green said.